PRINCIPLES OF TABLEEGH (PREACHING) - Part 5

AMR-BIL-MARU'F AND NAHI-ANIL-MUNKIR ARE FARD-E-AYN (OBLIGATORY) FOR EVERY MUSLIM

In many verses of Quran Karim, while describing the essential characteristics of virtuous people, Allah Ta'alah says that they encourage others to do good deeds and discourage them from doing bad deeds. Therefore, Amr-bil-Maru'f (امر بالمعروف) (telling others to do good deeds) and Nahi-anil-Munkir (نہی عن المنکر) (stopping others from doing bad deeds) are Fard-e-Ayn (فرضِ عین) (obligatory) for every Muslim. 

These days we have become very neglectful of these essential duties of every Muslim. We see our children going on the wrong path in life, we see our friends and acquaintances commit sinful deeds, but still we do not feel any urge to educate them or guide them about those mistakes. This is neglecting a compulsory act of worship (Ibadah). Just like it is obligatory upon us to pray Salah five times daily and to fast in Ramadan, Amr-bil-Maru'f and Nahi-anil-Munkir are obligatory upon us in exactly the same way, therefore we need to understand the importance of this Ibadah. If a person spent his entire life doing good deeds, did not leave a single Salah un-offered, did not leave a single fast, kept giving Zakah and performed Hajj, and did not commit a single major sin, but he never did Amr-bil-Maru'f and Nahi-anil-Munkir, never tried to encourage people to do good deeds or abstain from committing sins, then despite all his own virtues, on the Day of Judgment he will still have to answer for why he neglected the duty of Amr-bil-Maru'f  and Nahi-anil-Munkir. For a Muslim it is not enough to just care about being pious ourselves, we also have to care about what will happen on the Day of Judgment to those near and dear to us.

SURAH AL-IMRAN: 29-30

TRANSLATION:
[3:29]
Say: .Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah will know it.. He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. Allah is powerful over everything.

[3:30]
On the day when everybody shall find present before him whatever good he did and whatever evil he wrought, he will wish there would have been a wide space between him and that (day). Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is compassionate to (His) servants.

PRINCIPLES OF TABLEEGH (PREACHING) - Part 4

INDIVIDUAL OR PRIVATE TABLEEGH IS FARD-E-AYN (فرض عین)

If we are seeing someone commit a sin, or neglect some compulsory Ibadah (acts of worship), and it is probable that if we point it out to him he will abstain from that sin or perform that act of worship, then in such circumstances doing Individual or Private Tableegh is Fard-e-Ayn (obligatory upon us as individuals). In those circumstances we can not abrogate our responsibility rationalising that it is the duty of religious scholars to teach people religion, it is not my responsibility. According to the Hadith mentioned previously it is the duty of all Muslims under such circumstances. 

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 28

TRANSLATION:
The believers must not take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers. And whoever does that has no relation with Allah whatsoever, unless you (do so) as a protective measure (in order to) save yourself from them. Allah warns you of Himself, for unto Allah is the return.

INTERPRETATION:
The Arabic word 'Wali' has been translated as friend or supporter. Making someone a 'wali' (ولی) is also called 'Mawalat' (موالات). It refers to such a close friendship and relationship in which two people's purpose in life, and gain and loss becomes one. Muslims have been forbidden in this verse to have such a close relationship with disbelievers, and it has been deemed a great sin. The same commandment has been given in Surah An-Nisa (4:139-144), Surah Al-Maeda (5:51-57, 81), Surah Al-Tawba (9:23), Surah Al-Mujadila (58:22), and Surah Al-Mumtahina (60:1). However, it must be remembered that Allah Ta'alah has commanded Muslims to deal with kindness, benevolence and compassion with those non-Muslims who are not at war with Muslims. It is not just something nice to do, it is actually a requirement by the Shariah. Quran Karim has clarified this in Surah Al-Mumtahina (60:8). It was a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he dealt with kindness and Ihsan with non-warring non-Muslims throughout his entire life. Similarly, it is permissible to enter into political and economic contracts with non-warring non-Muslims, as long as these contracts are not against the long-term interests of Muslims, and do not entail violating laws of Shariah. Rasool Allah ﷺ himself, and after him the Holy Companions (Sahaba), entered into such contracts.

At the end of the verse where it says, "unless you (do so) as a protective measure (in order to) save yourself from them", it means that if a person has to adopt certain behaviours which overtly look like Mawalat, in order to protect himself from torture or cruelty of disbelievers, then he is allowed to do so. 

PRINCIPLES OF TABLEEGH (PREACHING) - Part 3

COMMUNAL OR PUBLIC TABLEEGH IS FARD-E-KIFAYAH

There are two types of Fard (acts of worship deemed compulsory or obligatory by Shariah), Fard-e-Ayn (فرض عین) and Fard-e-Kifayah (فرض کفایہ). Fard-e-Ayn means that that particular act of worship [Ibadah] has been made compulsory for every individual Muslim. If any individual doesn't do it he will be committing a sin, regardless of if everyone else is doing it or not. For example, the five daily Salah are Fard-e-Ayn. On the day of Judgment every individual Muslim will to account for all their Salah (Namaz) about whether they carried those out properly or not. In contrast, Fard-e-Kifayah are those Ibadah which are compulsory for a community but not every individual Muslim. If some people in the community carry out that Ibadah then it is deemed to have been carried out by everyone in the community.  Salah of Janazah (Salah prayer offered when a Muslim has passed away) is an example of Fard-e-Kifayah. If some people in the community carry it out then it suffices for the whole community. However, if no one in the community carries it out then everyone in that community would be deemed sinful.

Now coming back to the topic of Tableegh it needs to be understood that Communal or Public Tableegh is a Fard-e-Kifayah, it is not a Fard-e-Ayn. It means that every individual Muslim is not required to give sermons to large groups of people, or go to other people's homes to do Tableegh, as long as some people in the community are doing it.  However, if no one in the community is doing Communal Tableegh then the whole community would be deemed sinful. 

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 26-28

TRANSLATION

[3:26]

Say: .O Allah, O Lord of the Kingdom, You give kingdom to whom You will, and take kingdom away from whom You will; and You bestow honor on whom You will, and bring disgrace to whom You will. In your hand lies the betterment (of everyone). You are surely powerful over everything.

[3:27]

You make the night enter into the day, and make the day enter into the night; and You bring the living out from the dead, and bring the dead out from the living, and You give to whom You will beyond measure..

[3:28]

The believers must not take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers. And whoever does that has no relation with Allah whatsoever, unless you (do so) as a protective measure (in order to) save yourself from them. Allah warns you of Himself, for unto Allah is the return.

TAFSEER (INTERPRETATION)

[26]

At the time of Ghazva Khandaq (trench) Rasool Allah ﷺ had predicted that one day one day the empires of Rome and Iran would fall to Muslims. At that time the non-believers had ridiculed Muslims that they have to dig a trench for their defence, they do not have enough to eat, but they are predicting that they will conquer Rome and Iran. At that time these verses were revealed in which a soft reply was made to this ridicule by teaching Muslims this prayer.

[27]

In winters when the days are short part of the summer days turns into night, while in the summers when the days are long part of the summer night turns into day.

The living chicken comes out of the on-living egg, while the non-living egg comes out of a living bird.

[28]

The Arabic word 'Wali' has been translated as friend or supporter. Making someone a 'wali' is also called 'Mwalat'. It refers to such a close friendship and relationship in which two people's purpose in life and profit and loss becomes one.

PRINCIPLES OF TABLEEGH (PREACHING) - Part 2

The first point to understand is that there are two ways of doing Tableegh and conveying Allah's message to people. The first is individual or private Tableegh, and the second is communal or public Tableegh. Individual or private Tableegh means that if a person sees another person committing a sin, or sees him neglecting his obligatory (Fard) Ibadah (acts of worship), and points it out to him privately, then this is private or individual Tableegh. Communal or public Tableegh includes giving a sermon or a lecture in front of a large group of people, or going to many individuals with the intention of conveying the message of Allah to them without any immediate precipitant or reason, like our brothers from the Tableeghi Jama'at do. This is all communal or public Tableegh. There are different rules and etiquettes which apply to both of these types of Tableegh.

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 21-25

TRANSLATION:

[3:21]
Surely, those who reject the verses of Allah and slay the prophets unjustly, and slay those of the people who bid justice, give them the good news‘ of a painful punishment.
[3:22]
Those are the ones whose deeds have gone to waste in this world and in the Hereafter. For them there are no helpers.
[3:23]
Did you not observe those who have been given a share from the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah, so that it may decide between them. Then, a group from them goes back, turning their faces away.
[3:24]
That is because they have said: .The Fire shall not touch us except for a few days.. Thus they are deceived in their faith by what they themselves used to invent.
[3:25]
Then, how (will it be) when We will gather them together on a day about which there is no doubt, and everybody will be paid in full for what he has earned, and they shall not be wronged?

PRINCIPLES OF TABLEEGH (PREACHING) - Part 1

In describing the characteristics of virtuous people in Quran Karim Allah Ta'alah says that they tell other people to do good deeds and stop them from committing sins. "Amr" (امر) means ordering someone to do something, "Ma'roof" (معروف) means a good deed. "Nahi" (نہی) means stopping and "Munkir" (منکر) means a bad deed. ٖMuslim jurists (فقہاء) have written that just like Salah and fasting are Fard (compulsory) for every Muslim, similarly it is compulsory for them that if they see someone committing a sin they should try to stop them from committing it and tell them not to commit that act as it is a sin, as much as they are able to.

While a lot of people know that نہی عن المنکر is Fard (compulsory) they generally do not have a clear understanding of those situations when it is compulsory, and in what situations it is not.  And because of that people go to two different extremes. There are some people who are so careless about it they see their family members and close friends committing signal the time, but it never occurs to them to try to stop them from committing those sins. They see them neglect their Fard prayers routinely but do not say anything. On the other extreme there are those people who have taken this command so literally that all their time is spent in criticising other people. That is why it is important for people to learn that there are situations in which Tableegh (preaching) is Fard (compulsory), but there are also some situations when it is not recommended.

To be continued...

"Principles of Tableegh (Preaching) by Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 18-20

TRANSLATION:

Allah bears witness that there is no god but He __ and (so do) the angels and the men of knowledge __ being the One who maintains equity. There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise. Truly, the (recognized) religion in the sight of Allah is Islam . Those who have been given the Book did not differ (among themselves) until after the knowledge had come to them, (and all this) due to envy against each other. Whoever denies the verses of Allah, then, Allah is swift at reckoning. Then, if they argue with you, say: .I have submitted myself to Allah, and (so did) those who have followed me.. And say to those who have been given the Book, and to the unlettered: .Do you submit?. If they submit, they will be on the right path. Yet, if they turn back, then you have only to convey the message. Allah is watchful over (all of) His servants.

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14-17

Translation:

It has been made attractive for people to love the desired things; that is, women, children, hoarded heaps of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle and tillage. That is an enjoyment of the worldly life; but with Allah lies the beauty of the final resort. Say: .Shall I tell you what is far better than that? For those who fear (Allah), there are gardens with their Lord, beneath which rivers flow, where they shall live forever, with purified wives, and approval from Allah. Allah is watchful over His servants. Those (are the ones) who say: .Our Lord, surely we have believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire,. (and those who are) the patient, the truthful and the devout, who spend (in Allah‘s way) and who seek forgiveness in pre-dawn hours..

SURAH AL-E IMRAN: 15 - Part 2

Continued from before...

According to a Hadith, when the people of Paradise would have settled down there, Allah Ta'alah will address them directly asking them if they are happy and if they need anything. They will say, "Our Lord! You have given us everything, what else could we ever need?" Allah Ta'alah would then say, "Now I give you the greatest of all blessings - you all have my Approval that I will never be displeased with you, and you will always be near to me."

Continued...

SURAH AL-E IMRAN: 15 - Part 1

قُلۡ اَؤُنَبِّئُكُمۡ بِخَيۡرٍ مِّنۡ ذٰ لِكُمۡ‌ؕ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اتَّقَوۡا عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنّٰتٌ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا وَاَزۡوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَّرِضۡوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ‌ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بَصِيۡرٌۢ بِالۡعِبَادِ‌ۚ‏۔

Translation: "Say: "Shall I tell you what is far better than that? For those who fear (Allah), there are with their Lord gardens beneath which rivers flow where they shall live for ever, and wives purifies, and approval from Allah. And Allah is watchful over His servants." 

Tafsir: This verse further expounds upon the subject in the previous verse. It has been promised to the people of Paradise in another verse of the Holy Quran, (43:71) "وَفِيۡهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيۡهِ الۡاَنۡفُسُ". (And for them there is what they wish for). In the present verse some of those blessings have been mentioned which all residents of Paradise will receive, and after that the most important blessing of all has been mentioned which is permanent approval of Allah Ta'alah, after which there will be no danger of displeasure from Allah Ta'alah.

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14 - 5th and last Part

The Holy Quran says:

فَلَا تُعۡجِبۡكَ اَمۡوَالُهُمۡ وَلَاۤ اَوۡلَادُهُمۡ‌ؕ اِنَّمَا يُرِيۡدُ اللّٰهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمۡ بِهَا فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا۔۔۔ (۹: ۵۵)

"So, their wealth and children should not attract you. Allah wants to punish them with these in this lowly life". (9:55)

This does not mean that offspring and wealth are bad in themselves. What it means is that these are real blessings both for this world and the life Hereafter if a person engages in accruing and spending these material possessions within the confines laid down by Allah Ta'alah, and in moderation. But if a person starts engaging in Hara'am (unlawful) ways of accumulating wealth, spends it in impermissible activities, or even if he is accumulating it by lawful means but becomes so engrossed in it that he starts neglecting Fara'id (obligatory acts of worship) and Wajibat (necessary acts of worship) then these blessings start becoming a curse for him.

Maulana Rumi has illustrated this very eloquently in Masnavi by saying,

آب اندر زیرِ کشتی پستی است

آب در کشتی ہلاکِ کشتی است

He has likened material possessions to water, and a person'e heart to a boat. He says that as long as water stays outside and around the boat it is helpful for the boat and helps serve its purpose, but if it enters the boat the same water drowns it and kills everyone in it. 

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14 - Part 4

There is still another element of wisdom behind why Allah Ta'alah may have given human beings a natural desire for the worldly blessings mentioned previously, which seems more relevant to the discussion here. It is that it is a test to differentiate those people who become so engrossed in these worldly blessings that they start believing them to be the ultimate goal in life and completely forget that there is another life which is going to come after this one and for which we have to prepare in this life, from those who remain mindful of the temporary nature of these blessings and while they enjoy these in this world in keeping with their needs, but they also use these to make their eternal life better. In another verse Allah Ta'alah says:

اِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا مَا عَلَى الۡاَرۡضِ زِيۡنَةً لَّهَا لِنَبۡلُوَهُمۡ اَ يُّهُمۡ اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلاً۔ (۱۸: ۷)

"We made whatever there is on the earth its adornment so that We can test as to who among them acts best." (18:7)

For the person who believed that these worldly blessings were his only and ultimate goal , these material possessions will lead him to eternal punishment and Allah's wrath in the life Hereafter. However, the person who enjoyed these worldly blessings in line with what is permissible, and also used these to make his Aakhirah better, will have the best of both world.

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14 - Part 3

Continued from before...

The second possible advantage would be that if a person did not have any feelings, if he did not have any attraction towards worldly blessings, if he did not have any desire to attain those, if he didn't even know the difference between desirable and undesirable, then what attraction would he have towards the blessings promised for the life Hereafter. If it didn't really matter to him one way or the other, why would he have strived hard to do good deeds so that he can to Jannah (Paradise), or made an effort to refrain from sins to avoid going to Hell (Jahannum).

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14 - Part 2

Continued from previous post...

In this verse Allah Ta'alah has listed those relations and objects which are dear to most people's hearts, and has further said that people sometimes become so engrossed in their love that they forget about the Life Hereafter. Among these Allah Ta'alah has first listed women and children. If one ponders about it, it would become obvious that most people strive to earn a livelihood to fulfil the needs and desires of their family members. If one asks even those people who have more wealth than they can ever spend in a lifetime, and yet they are still trying to accumulate more and more wealth even through Hara'am (impermissible) means, they also justify it by saying that they are doing it for their children and their children's children. Then Allah Ta'alah mentions gold and silver, and animals and lands, which are dear to many people's hearts second to their own families.

This verse means that Allah Ta'alah has created a natural desire and love for the above mentioned in human beings' hearts, and has done so in His infinite wisdom. The first possible reason is that if people didn't have natural affinity and love for these worldly goods then the whole economic system of the world would have collapsed. If a person didn't have a natural desire to earn money and to fulfil his and his family's needs, wishes and desires, then why would he have woken up and left home early every morning to do hard work? Why would a labourer have left his home to do hard labour, why would an industrialist look for labourers to work in his factories, why would a shopkeeper open a shop to sell his stuff whole day, and why would a buyer go to a shop to buy things to fulfil his needs and desires? If one looks closely, it is this love of the material world that is keeping this whole socio-economic system going.

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 14 - Part 1

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوٰتِ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ وَالۡبَـنِيۡنَ وَالۡقَنَاطِيۡرِ الۡمُقَنۡطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالۡفِضَّةِ وَالۡخَـيۡلِ الۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالۡاَنۡعَامِ وَالۡحَـرۡثِ‌ؕ ذٰ لِكَ مَتَاعُ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا ‌ۚ وَاللّٰهُ عِنۡدَهٗ حُسۡنُ الۡمَاٰبِ‏۔

"It has been made attractive for people to love the desires; that is, the women, the children, the hoarded heaps of gold and silver, the branded horses, the cattle and the tillage. That is an enjoyment of the worldly life. And with Allah lies the beauty of the final resort."

The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said, "حب الدنیا راس کل خطیئة". It means that the love of Dunya (worldly life or worldly enjoyments) is the source of all errors.

To be continued...

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 8 - Part 2

Continued from before...

That is why people who really care that they are in the state of Iman (faith) when they die, keep praying to Allah Ta'alah for steadfastness. The Holy Prophet ﷺ also used to pray for steadfastness as it appears in a Hadith, "یَا مقلِبَ ا’لقلوبِ ثَبِت قلوبَنَا عَلیٰ دِینِکَ", meaning "O reverser of hearts, make our hearts firm on the faith chosen by You". (Mazhari)

From Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 8 - Part 1

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغۡ قُلُوۡبَنَا بَعۡدَ اِذۡ هَدَيۡتَنَا وَهَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ لَّدُنۡكَ رَحۡمَةً ‌ ۚ اِنَّكَ اَنۡتَ الۡوَهَّابُ‏۔

"Our Lord, do not let our hearts go crooked after You have given us guidance, and bestow upon us mercy from Your own. Surely, You, and You alone, are the Bestower."

This verse tells us that guidance, and straying from the right path, both come from Allah Ta'alah alone. When Allah Ta'alah intends to guide someone, He makes his heart tilt towards what is good and right; and when He decides to let someone go astray, He turns his heart away from the straight path. In a Hadith the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said, "There is no heart which is not there between two of Allah's fingers - He makes it firm on the truth as long as He wills, and turns it away from the truth when He wills." 

To be continued...

From Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih